The number of people in work in Scotland fell by 17,000 between December and February, according to the Office for National Statistics.

The number in work dropped to 2,645,000 but the employment rate among people under 65 remained steady at 75%.

There were 115,000 Scots classed as unemployed and looking for work - up 3,000.

The unemployment rate rose slightly to 4.2%, the same rate as the UK-wide figure.

Across the UK, employment increased by 55,000 in the quarter to February to 32.2 million, the highest figure since records began in 1971.

This gave an employment rate of 75.4%, just above Scotland's rate.

The claimant count for Jobseekers Allowance and out-of-work Universal Credit payments rose in Scotland last month by 1,000 to reach 85,000 - a claimant rate of 2.9%.

In Scotland, the number of people classed as economically inactive, including students, those on long-term sick leave, on early retirement, or who have given up looking for work remained steady at 21.7%.

Across the UK the figure fell by 2,000 to 8.7 million in the latest quarter, giving a rate of 21%, a joint record low.